Where things stand
• 65 dead, many missing: The confirmed toll from Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades rose to at least 65 people, with many more still missing. CNN is at the scene and we’ll bring you the latest as we get it.
• Survivor rescued: Firefighters rescued a survivor from the 16th story of a high-rise building a day after the blaze broke out. Hong Kong’s leader says fires are “basically under control” in the complex, home to a high percentage of elderly residents. Rescuers are still searching for the many missing residents.
• Arrests made: The complex was under renovation and encased in bamboo scaffolding and safety netting. Three men who worked for a construction company have been arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in relation to the fire.
Night has fallen in Hong Kong. Here's what you need to know
Black smoke is still billowing from the charred remains of several high-rise buildings in a Hong Kong apartment complex, more than 24 hours after the deadly blaze broke out.
Many residents remain unaccounted for, and there are fears that the death toll could rise further. It is already Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in seven decades.
Here are the latest developments:
• Dozens dead: At least 65 people have been killed in the blaze at Wang Fuk Court, which a building expert said surged 32 stories in just five minutes. The death toll has remained unchanged for several hours. Yesterday, authorities said 279 people were unaccounted for, and we don’t know how many are still missing. It is not clear how many people were able to evacuate.
• Survivor rescued: At around 6 p.m. local time, firefighters pulled a male survivor from the 16th story of Wang Tai House, one of the towers in the complex. No information has been provided about his health.
• Blaze “under control”: John Lee, the city’s leader, said the fires across all seven buildings in the complex are “basically under control.” But live video footage shows pockets of fires still burning through apartment windows, indicating that the fight against the fire is not yet over.
• Financial aid: Lee said each household affected by the blaze will receive 10,000 Hong Kong dollars (about $1,200) in relief funds from the government. Hong Kong is also establishing an assistance fund for the housing estate, worth 300 million Hong Kong dollars ($38.5 million).
• Bamboo scaffolding: The deadly blaze has sparked a debate about Hong Kong’s centuries-old use of bamboo scaffolding. Although bamboo is celebrated for its flexibility and low cost, construction experts are once again questioning the use of this flammable material in building projects. Lee said the government will inspect all bamboo scaffolding in the city, and official bodies will meet to discuss a move to metal scaffolding.
• Survivors share testimony: CNN reporters are on the ground and meeting those who have survived the disaster. One man recalled hearing people screaming for help on Wednesday afternoon, before seeing smoke billowing outside his window. Others have questioned the reliability of the complex’s fire alarms.
• Evacuation centers: About 500 people are taking shelter in nine emergency centers, Lee said. The affected residents will be attended to by 250 doctors and 250 other medical professionals.
Around 50 hospital workers lost their homes in the blaze
Hong Kong’s Hospital Authority (HA) said around 50 of its staff members have been left homeless by the blaze at the Wang Fuk Court complex.
One staff member remains missing, while another was injured in the blaze, the authority said.
Survivor pulled from 16th story as Hong Kong death toll climbs to 65
A survivor has been rescued from one of the towers in the Wang Fuk Court complex, Hong Kong’s fire department said Thursday evening, as the death toll from the blaze climbed to at least 65 people.
Firefighters found a male survivor on the 16th story of Wang Tai House, one of the towers in the complex, the fire department said in an update at 8 p.m. local time (7 a.m. ET), according to public broadcaster RTHK.
A further 70 people have been injured, the department said. One firefighter is among the dead, and 10 other firefighters have been injured.
Hong Kong allocates one social worker per household to support residents
Hong Kong leader John Lee said the city is arranging a “one social worker per household” policy to ensure that Wang Fuk Court residents get the help they need.
The government will also provide psychologists to provide emotional support to residents, Lee said.
“We have nothing, not even clothes”: Residents of tower blocks engulfed in flames speak to CNN
Survivors of the blaze who have taken shelter in schools and sports centers have told CNN how they escaped as flames engulfed their homes yesterday, many with only the clothes they were wearing.
One resident in his 40s told CNN he was watching television in his eighth-floor apartment when he heard people screaming for help. “The instant I opened the window, I saw the smoke,” said Wan, who CNN is identifying only by his surname.
“There’s no home to go back to,” said Wan, who spent the night at an emergency shelter with his wife, as volunteers and staff walked around distributing food and drinks. “We have nothing, not even clothes.”
Another resident surnamed Yuen said he was most concerned about his parents – who are in their 70s and live in a separate apartment on the same floor as him and his wife. On Wednesday afternoon, Yuen rushed home from work when he heard the news, but wasn’t allowed to enter the building, he said. He hasn’t heard from his parents since.
Read more from survivors who spoke to CNN here.
The Hong Kong fire is stoking a debate about bamboo scaffolding
After a huge fire broke out in Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court, debates about the safety of bamboo scaffolding resurfaced. CNN’s Karina Tsui has more from the scene of the fire.
After a huge fire broke out in Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court, debates arose about the safety of bamboo scaffolding. CNN's Karina Tsui has more from the scene of the fire.
Each household affected by the Hong Kong fire will get $1,200
Hong Kong leader John Lee said each household affected by the deadly ongoing blaze in the city will receive relief funds from the government.
“To help affected residents, we will hand out 10,000 Hong Kong dollars (about $1,200) to each household,” Lee said Thursday night.
Hong Kong government will provide $38.5 million in aid to affected residents
The Hong Kong government will establish an assistance fund for the Wang Fuk Court housing estate, allocating 300 million Hong Kong dollars (about $38.5 million) in aid to affected residents, said city leader John Lee in an ongoing news conference.
Speaking Thursday evening, he laid out several additional measures as the city mourns those killed and affected by the fire, including a memorial event.
The government will cancel all celebratory events on the schedule, while government officials will avoid participating in “unnecessary” public events, Lee said.
He called for the public and other organizations to send in donations for those impacted.
Lee also thanks Chinese leader Xi Jinping for his “concern” over the fire.
Hong Kong leader says city is meeting to discuss move to metal scaffolding
Hong Kong leader John Lee told reporters that the government is going to inspect all bamboo scaffolding in the city in the wake of the deadly ongoing blaze.
“The development bureau is already meeting with the construction bureau to discuss that metal scaffolding will be used instead of bamboo scaffolding,” Lee said Thursday night.
Read more about the debate around bamboo scaffolding in Hong Kong here.
500 people are using nine emergency shelters after Hong Kong fire, says Lee
As firefighters work to extinguish the last of the flames in Hong Kong, about 500 people are using nine emergency shelters, according to the city’s leader John Lee.
He added that 250 doctors and 250 other medical professionals will be set up in medical centers at these temporary shelters, and that the government is working to support bereaved family members.
“We are experiencing a collective pain,” he said, speaking at a news conference Thursday evening. “At this difficult moment, we need to face it with strength and get through this hard time together.”
All seven buildings are "basically under control," Lee says, though flames still visible
The fires across all seven buildings in Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court are “basically under control,” the city’s leader John Lee said at an ongoing news conference.
Live video footage of the housing complex, which has been burning since Wednesday afternoon local time, still shows isolated pockets of fires burning through apartment windows.
Death toll remains at 55
Hong Kong leader John Lee said the ongoing massive blaze in the city has killed 55 people — the same figure previously provided by fire officials.
Firefighters will keep battling the blaze and searching for missing residents, he said.
NOW: Hong Kong leader is addressing the media
Hong Kong’s leader John Lee is addressing reporters in his first televised remarks on the city’s deadly blaze.
Hong Kong banks urged to help affected residents
Hong Kong’s banking industry has been urged to help those affected by the fire at Wang Fuk Court to access funds, with HSBC announcing a raft of emergency measures to support the victims of the blaze and their families.
The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA) and Hong Kong Association of Banks (HKAB) asked banks to help those affected to access their funds, replace lost banking documents, offer repayment grace periods and waive penalties and service charges.
They also called on banks to increase staffing at their branches in the Tai Po region.
HSBC – Hong Kong’s largest bank – said it is “deeply saddened” by the fire and has implemented emergency measures including hotlines and increased staffing to support residents of Wang Fuk Court.
Volunteers rush to find missing pets from burning buildings
As smoke is still rising from the remains of the Wang Fuk Court and emergency workers try to find survivors, volunteers have been scrambling to rescue residents’ pets.
Animal welfare agencies arrived with oxygenated pet carriers and animal ambulances to bring the pets to safety. Videos on social media have shown cats, dogs and even a tortoise being rescued.
“From yesterday, we have around 20 volunteers here rescuing animals and people. There are also vets and veterinary nurses here helping too,” he added.
Some animal welfare workers had to ask police to allow them through cordons keeping out the public, Reuters reported, as the fire still blazed in the complex.
Fire climbed 32 floors in five minutes, outpacing evacuation time, building expert says
Flames surged 32 stories in just five minutes at Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court, leaving residents facing a fierce struggle against a 20-minute evacuation time, a building expert said.
“The time for people to evacuate from a 32-story building is essentially very slow,” said Xinyan Huang, associate professor at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering.
When asked about the investigation into the fire, Huang suggested that the critical question concerns not the cause of the fire but its rapid spread.
Huang said bamboo is “definitely a flammable material” that is likely to ignite in Hong Kong’s current dry season, with vertically oriented poles allowing fire to spread upward with ease.
He drew parallels to London’s Grenfell fire, Britain’s deadliest since WWII, which claimed 72 lives due to it being a 24-story residential building covered in flammable cladding.
Hong Kong mother watched her home of 20 years “burn to ashes”
Mrs Dang said Wang Fuk Court was an ideal place to raise her growing family of four, after her husband won the public housing ballot that allowed them to buy a unit in the complex.
That was more than 20 years ago, and her kids have since married and moved away. But she remained living at the apartment, in Block 4.
Dang, 68, who gave only her surname, said she returned from a dance class Wednesday afternoon to see Block 6 consumed in flames.
“After a few hours, the other buildings started catching fire,” she told CNN from outside the CCC Fung Leung Kit Memorial Secondary School in Tai Po. “My clothes are all black from the fire spit.”
Dang said that, due to the recent renovation work, many windows outside the apartments were lined with plastic or polystyrene and scaffolding.
“I couldn’t even tell you if it was sunny or raining until I left my building,” she said.
“It’s difficult to imagine going back to living at the estate even if repairs are done. It all seems corrupt.”
Housing estate hit by blaze had a large percentage of elderly people
Wang Fuk Court was home to a larger population of elderly residents than in many Hong Kong housing estates.
As of 2021 — when the city’s most recent census took place — 4,643 people called the estate their home.
Roughly 36% of residents were 65 or older, according to Centaline Property Agency, which uses the city’s government data.
That’s much higher than the percentage of elderly people in Hong Kong overall — 19.6%, according to Centaline.
The median age of the tenants at Wang Fuk Court was 56, the data shows.
Anti-corruption officials to probe Hong Kong fire
Officials are investigating “potential corruption” linked to renovations at Wang Fuk Court, the Hong Kong complex afflicted by a massive blaze.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption, Hong Kong’s statutory anti-graft body, announced on Thursday that it had set up a dedicated task force “given the significant public interest in this matter.”
Parallel inquiries: The fire spread in an “unusual” manner, other officials said, and a criminal investigation has been launched, Security Secretary Chris Tang said. Hong Kong Police said they arrested three men – two directors and a consultant of a construction company – on suspicion of manslaughter, and accused them of “gross negligence.” Authorities will also investigate whether building materials complied with fire safety standards.
The fire has displaced hundreds into shelters like this
CNN’s Hanako Montgomery breaks down the timeline of how a small fire in Hong Kong spread from one building to several in a public housing complex, leaving hundreds displaced and missing.
CNN’s Hanako Montgomery breaks down the timeline of how a small fire in Hong Kong spread from one building to several in a housing complex, leaving hundreds displaced and missing.
